Marilyn Monroe was wrong. Diamonds aren't a girl's best friend. She is.

How else to explain the eternal interest in cloning the pop icon's bombshell image?

Even now, 50 years after her death, Monroe is making fashion news this month with a Macy's collection that pays homage to the Hollywood star. Ditto for a set of Lashfully Monroe-like lush mink eyelashes — once her favorite — that are best-sellers at $34 for the set. There's a perfume in her honor, too: Immortelle Marilyn (a combination of raspberry, hazelnut, iris and musk) from French niche perfume house Nez à Nez that goes for $175 a pop. And coming soon, the re-launch of a MAC cosmetics line dedicated to the actress; last year it was available for a limited time but returns by popular demand in May.

She's even a heavy presence in two of the season's hot TV shows. The second season of NBC's musical series “Smash,” again is devoted to all things Monroe. And last week's “Glee” episode on Fox had cast members dolled up in hot pink strapless gowns like Monroe wore, as they crooned her signature song “Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend” from 1953's “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.” (Madonna did the same in her “Material Girl” music video in 1985.)

“It's strange how Marilyn Monroe remains a powerful icon, even after all the social changes that have changed perceptions of female beauty in the last 40 years,” said Sharon Graubard, fashion director of New York trend-forecasting firm Stylesight.

“I think a big part of it is that she is a natural. She always seemed to be having so much fun with her beauty and voluptuous sexuality — showing off her curves, sashaying her hips, half-closing her eyes, pouting her lips,” she said. “And while she wasn't exactly chic, the way Audrey Hepburn or Jackie Kennedy were, she had great style.”

Graubard said that Monroe made clothes come alive, from looking all-American in rolled-up jeans to sexy in form-fitting dresses.

“She often dressed in a modest way, with turtleneck sweaters, slim Capris and flat ballerina slippers — her look wasn't always about exposure. She managed to look alluring and sexy no matter what she wore, but she also looked appropriate, not trashy. That's why women love her style as well as men,” Graubard said.

Nick Woodhouse is president and marketing manager of Authentic Brands Group that created the Marilyn collection for Macy's. He said that Monroe is still inspiring fashion because she was a chameleon.

“She had all styles, but the overriding rule was that she always kept it elegant, but sexy. She inspires trends because she had so many iconic moments” in films.

Woodhouse said the Macy's collection captures a “modern retro” look of favorite Monroe garments such as a white sundress that recalls the actress' dress that billowed above a subway grate from her 1955 film, “The Seven-Year Itch.” Other garments include a polka-dotted halter dress, denim short shorts and gingham shirts knotted at the midriff.

Woodhouse said the collection came about because “we felt the time was right to introduce a whole new generation of women to Monroe and her style. Her Monroe-isms and photos are immensely popular on social media and we had numerous requests for more Marilyn.”

So did MAC cosmetics, the makeup company bringing back a once-limited Monroe collection that will be available online at the Macy's website in mid-May. It comprises 30 pieces from $15 for Brow Finisher to $28 for Beauty Powder.

“When you look at images of Marilyn you immediately notice her perfectly arched brows, defined lash line and lips. She had a very heavy eyelid that she accentuated with lighter colors, which was contrasted by her signature cat eyeliner that started in the middle of her lids and winged out, making her eyes look sleepy and sexy.”

Matana Le Plae and Liv Contreras, co-owners of Lashfully, an eyelash company with boutiques in Beverly Hills and San Francisco, make and sell Monroe lashes in their salons. The lashes are lightweight and reusable and are also available online at www.lashfully.com.

“How can anyone talk about Hollywood beauty and not include Marilyn Monroe?” Le Plae asked. “She's one of our top sellers because her beauty is classic and timeless. She's from a time in history when women wanted to be feminine and sexy and voluptuous without making any apology about that sort of beauty.”

Christopher Nickens, who co-wrote “Marilyn in Fashion” (Running Press, 2012) with George Zeno, agreed, saying Monroe was more of a fashion visionary than anyone ever gave her credit for. She also knew her fans wanted glamour and sex appeal — her rules when it came to style.

“Every woman should have her own style rules, too,” Nickens said. “I think Marilyn would say to women today to be yourself even if you're wearing one of her looks.”

“Still, no one since Marilyn has mixed sex and fashion the way she did,” he said. “She knew what her image was and she was very savvy about that. Much of the time she balanced sex appeal with elegance. Her style wasn't vulgar. She just knew how to keep it hot.”